More reasons to beware less of Weapons of Mass Destruction as much as
“Weapons of Precise Destruction”: Worm Wears A 'Patch' For Disguise http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38195-2003Sep20.html Sunday, September 21,
2003; Page F07 Disguised as an
official e-mail from Microsoft, the file comes attached to a note asking the
recipient to install a "September
2003, cumulative patch"
to protect against vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer Web browser
and Outlook and Outlook Express e-mail programs. If installed, the
program, known as Swen
or Gibe.F,
attempts to disable firewall and antivirus software, gather password
information and replicate itself via e-mail, as well as the Kazaa peer-to-peer
network and Internet Relay Chat instant-messaging. Internet security
firms are reporting a wide distribution of the worm online; McAfee Security
rated the malicious program a "medium" risk to home users and a
"low" risk to corporate users, who are more likely to have updated
security software. The virus-laden e-mail
looks like an authentic missive from the Redmond, Wash., software developer
(aside from a few grammatical errors), but a spokeswoman for Microsoft said
this week that it doesn't send security updates in e-mail. They're all distributed
through Microsoft's Web site (windowsupdate.microsoft.com).
The Swen virus could
affect users running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows
2000 and Windows XP. It does not affect other operating systems. -- Mike Musgrove |
- Re: [Futurework] new worm goes undercover as a patch Karen Watters Cole